Davey Tree Flipbooks

13 November/December 2023 | THE DAVEY BULLETIN The Foundation for California Community Colleges and UpSkill California worked together to develop the Utility Vegetation Management (UVM) Pre-Inspector training program. The program has received state and federal grants to provide stipends for the students, and utility companies provide funding for classes in their local territories. This workforce development program is a two-week, 80-hour classroom and field experience designed to train and retain utility vegetation pre-inspectors in defined worker shortage areas throughout the state of California. Over the past two years, 22 courses have been taught at nine California Community Colleges, with 296 program graduates. Nathan Davila, UVM technician, Davey Resource Group (DRG), Utility Vegetation Management services (UVM), is a program instructor and a designer for the course's field activities. Left: UVM Pre-Inspector program students are pictured training along a right-of-way in Butte, California. Right: Nathan Davila is pictured on the right, instructing at Butte College. He is reviewing tree inventory data with the UVM Pre-Inspector class, input via MyROWKeeper during a field assignment. Ryan Steele (not pictured), project manager, UVM, DRG, is also a course instructor in Northern California. TRAINING PROGRAM TACKLES UVM WORKFORCE SHORTAGE The course uses Davey's MyROWKeeper software, and covers the identification of trees, pole equipment, and voltages, as well as the Electric Hazard Awareness Program. "Learning the whole process is the key introduction for those joining the industry – how electricity flows from generation through transmission down to the consumer, and why it's important to keep the vegetation clear," said Vince Mikulanis, director of Western Operations, DRG, UVM. 1. When did you join Davey? August of 2023. 2. How did you hear about Davey? In November 2022, I enrolled in a utility arborist training held at El Camino Community College. Southern California Edison trimming account Davey Tree Surgery Company employees Oscar Escarcega, safety coordinator, and Luis Miramontes, work planner, were course instructors. Oscar and Luis were the first introduction I had to Davey as a career option. They explained how important safety is at Davey. It was really inspiring to me that they care about what they're doing and put their whole selves into doing everything correctly. 3. When did you take the UVM pre- inspector training? I completed the UVM pre-inspector training in April 2023, held at the California Conservation Corps classroom in Norwalk, California. 4. How did you end up joining Davey as an employee? For the last six months before I started at Davey, I was working at an auto retailer. I was interested in working at Davey, and through people at El Camino College, I was given the email address of Vince Mikulanis. He helped me get an interview. Within the next couple of weeks, I had already started training. I am so grateful to Davey for giving me this opportunity! 5. What is your daily role with Davey? I work with my UVM, DRG trainers. We inspect how close trees are to electrical lines, as well as determining if trees are hazardous so we can let the trimming crews know what needs to be done. DAISY LOERA MARES UVM technician Southern California Edison account Davey Resource Group Meet Daisy Loera

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